Be ready to swim against the tide

By Schezee Zaidi - The News International - Islamabad, Pakistan
Friday, March 23, 2007

Call for promoting Shah Latif's message of unity

Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai is one of the great Sufi poets and mystic of the entire Muslim world of 18th century. He is a prominent enlightened humanist, who firmly believed in the metaphysics of the unity of being and turned the socio-psychological implications of this metaphysics into subjects of his impressive poetry.

This was stated by various speakers talking about the life and works of Shah Latif at a seminar jointly organised by Pakistan Academy of Letters and Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Cultural Association to mark the 263 'Urs' of the great Sufi saint.

They said his voice repeats the echo of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization and is the expression of the same spirit which can be felt in the poetic works of Maulana Rumi, Shah Hussain, Baba Bulleh Shah, Khushal Khan Khattak, Rehman Baba, Khawja Fareed, Sacchal Sarmast, and other Sufi poets of our region.

Chairman National Language Authority Professor Fateh Mohammad Malik was the chief guest on the occasion, while Chaiman PAL Iftikhar Arif, Dr. Ghazanfer Mehdi, and Dr. Aliya Imam were the guests of honour. Professor Allahwadhaio Baloch, Professor Amanullah Memon, Qasim Haider, Zahid Jatoi, and Shafiqur Rehman Solangi were the key speakers.
A large number of students and members of the literary community participated in the seminar to pay tribute to the great mystic poet who preached peace and love for humanity.

Stressing the need to delve into the philosophy and message of Shah Latif, Fateh Malik said that it is wrong to call him just a paramount poet of Sindh. Though he was the very soul of Sindh, yet we need to take pride in the fact that Latif is the greatest poet which the country that is now called Pakistan has produced, he said.
He said that all the Sufi poets of this land are our national assets and should be treated the same way.

Iftikhar Arif said that like all other mystic poets, Shah Latif is a symbol of national cohesion and unity. Giving details of various works and translations done on Shah Latif, he said that PAL has also translated Bhitai's works in Urdu in four volumes as well as in English and all the UN languages.

Ghazanfer Mehdi said that Shah Abdul Latif of Bhit was a poet, philosopher and preacher, all in one. He said that Shah Latif's poetical works are not regional or homeland-oriented in the narrow sense. He said that Pakistani poetry is nothing without the works of Shah Latif.

Dr. Aliya Imam talked about Shah Latif's love for humanity and persistent struggle to achieve his desired goal, stressing his followers to remain alert for eternal struggle. Professor Amanullah described Shah Latif as a revolutionary, urging his followers to walk on the un-trodden path and be ready to swim against the tide.

Qasim Haider stressed the need to follow the message of Shah Latif to rid the society of all evils. Shafiqur Rehman Solangi stressed the need to promote Shah Latif's message of brotherhood to create national unity.

[To read some of Shah Latif's poetry translated in verse by "Mother Elsa" (Madam Elsa Kazi Gertrude Loesch, d. 1967) do click here: http://www.geocities.com/thebhittai/index.html]